Schmatta rags to riches to rags

And share in the glory of Labor Arts and Culture reaching out to connect with millions of people worldwide who may not be union but whose lives Schmatta rags to riches to rags improved because of the work and efforts of organized labor. If there was ever a reason to come together, build stronger coalitions, and make progress for the working people of American and our international brothers and sisters, Schamatta, makes that case.

The director, Levin, does not allow them to become just villainous but they live and breathe and show both the determination to succeed, the challenges of that success, and the pitfalls of chasing the American Dream through capitalism. Schmattarepresents a first for HBOwhich will begin airing this film the week of Monday October, 19 at 9pm.

And you probably should. But not before building a convincing case that the garment industry was the progenitor of both the American labor movement and the middle class. The men who ran the companies were local icons, known as "garmentos," who screamed and raged and cut deals with the zeal and influence of any Hollywood producer.

This film is more than just a look into the struggles of the industries that have been built up around the garment industry; it is in so many ways a reflection of the ever changing issues in our American culture, including economics, social justice, human rights, and simple societal decency.

It is by far one of the best movies I have ever seen in my life. The awful deaths of nearly young women who had been literally locked into what became an inferno proved a catalyst for the garment workers union. Produced by Daphne Pinkerson, Marc Levin. Fore more labor related arts and culture visit www.

Recently I saw a screening of Schmattaby renowned filmmaker Marc Levin, and it is simply astounding. But in them we can see the full range of humanity.

The skilled laborers lost their jobs, then the white-collar workers, then the designers. Over the years, the industry reflected major social shifts. It does not hold back and is both raw and poignant, it is intriguing and challenging, and is both reflective and prophetic.

Through terrific footage and illuminating interviews with members of every level of the industry, many of them now unemployed, Levin takes us through a cultural history of the last century through the prism of schmatta, the Yiddish term for rags.

It chronicles, as well, the growth of both a strong middle class moving people from every strata of the socio-economic ladderbuilding wealth, and generating a pride in craftspersonship, products, and American genius and ingenuity.

Soon, people who had been slaving for pennies were receiving a living wage and health benefits. October Every now and then get a glimpse of something truly astounding.

The sympathetic characters are not just poor and down trodden but are hard working people who are seeking to work for the best of themselves, their families, and community. Though it gets off to a slow and overly earnest start, "Schmatta" picks up speed and by the end leaves a viewer outraged and bewildered.

They are also part of the whole process and somehow they too are challenged by the ups and downs of the industry.

Executive producer, Sheila Nevins. Banks and low-cost housing became available and, within a generation, the sons and daughters of cutters and spreaders were going to college and entering the middle class. Corporate takeovers ended many independent lines, iconic department stores merged and vanished and the piecework was increasingly outsourced.

It will make you laugh, cry, wonder, and understand issues near and dear to the human heart with both a sense of history and present reality. It is the first time they have taken such a bold step into a subject matter that so stridently touches on both social and political issues and does so without abandon.

Not to mention that it was once the economic, and almost literal, heart of New York City. These people come from various backgrounds but have in common a work ethic that promotes excellence and pride. From the local communities in New York City, to the ritz and glamour of the fashion industry and Hollywood, to the poorer nations around the world this film is simply riveting.

The rise of Wal-Mart and Costco required increasingly low-cost product and the government, beginning with the Reagan administration, began loosening import and export regulations. It is not sci-fi or fantasy, it is real, as real as every breath you take.

The more antagonistic characters are also real people with both flaws and redeeming qualities. As the executive director of the Labor movements Arts, Culture, and Creative Organizing non profit, we are in the business of preserving and promoting Labor Arts and Culture for the purpose of strengthening the movement.

Schamatta, is a labor film, truly, and is, in fact, one of the first times a feature film shows the vital importance of the Labor movement and Unions as pivotal to the success of American industry and culture.

Schmattatakes a bold look at the lives of real people. Now before you think I, or the Labor Heritage Foundation www. That is exactly what director-producer Marc Levin and producer Daphne Pinkerson are champing at the bit to tell you. Rags to Riches to Rag s— see the truth about the importance of Unions, organizing, strengthening the middle class, and confronting greed.Schmatta: Rags to Riches to Rags shows that today's garment workers share an energy and hopefulness with their predecessors, famously immigrant workers looking to "make it in America.".

Oct 19, · After watching "Schmatta: Rags to Riches to Rags," which premieres tonight on HBO, you won't be buying a $10 frock from H&M anytime soon. Or. A larger-than-life statue of a garment worker bent over a sewing machine stands near the corner of Seventh Avenue and Thirty-ninth Street.

It recalls a time when New York’s garment district was a hub of worldwide clothing production. Schamatta: Rags to Riches to Rags Posted October 16, at pm It is by far one of the best movies I have ever seen in my life.

(Now before you think I, or the Labor Heritage Foundation Be sure to watch HBO’s premier of Schmatta: Rags to Riches to Rags– see the truth about the importance of Unions, organizing, strengthening.

Find Schmatta: Rags to Riches to Rags at mi-centre.com Movies & TV, home of thousands of titles on DVD and Blu-ray/5(11). Opening to the lilting strains of “Rhapsody in Blue,” “Schmatta: Rags to Riches to Rags” is a loving and sobering look at the demise of New York’s garment industry, where the loss of.